diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 51f6ddf814..28f33123ec 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ Overall TCG CPUs
 M: Richard Henderson <rth@twiddle.net>
 R: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>
 S: Maintained
-F: cpus.c
+F: softmmu/cpus.c
 F: cpus-common.c
 F: exec.c
 F: accel/tcg/
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ M: David Hildenbrand <david@redhat.com>
 S: Maintained
 F: hw/virtio/virtio-balloon*.c
 F: include/hw/virtio/virtio-balloon.h
-F: balloon.c
+F: softmmu/balloon.c
 F: include/sysemu/balloon.h
 
 virtio-9p
@@ -2203,12 +2203,12 @@ Memory API
 M: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>
 S: Supported
 F: include/exec/ioport.h
-F: ioport.c
 F: include/exec/memop.h
 F: include/exec/memory.h
 F: include/exec/ram_addr.h
 F: include/exec/ramblock.h
-F: memory.c
+F: softmmu/ioport.c
+F: softmmu/memory.c
 F: include/exec/memory-internal.h
 F: exec.c
 F: scripts/coccinelle/memory-region-housekeeping.cocci
@@ -2240,13 +2240,13 @@ F: ui/cocoa.m
 Main loop
 M: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>
 S: Maintained
-F: cpus.c
 F: include/qemu/main-loop.h
 F: include/sysemu/runstate.h
 F: util/main-loop.c
 F: util/qemu-timer.c
 F: softmmu/vl.c
 F: softmmu/main.c
+F: softmmu/cpus.c
 F: qapi/run-state.json
 
 Human Monitor (HMP)
@@ -2401,7 +2401,7 @@ M: Thomas Huth <thuth@redhat.com>
 M: Laurent Vivier <lvivier@redhat.com>
 R: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>
 S: Maintained
-F: qtest.c
+F: softmmu/qtest.c
 F: accel/qtest.c
 F: tests/qtest/
 X: tests/qtest/bios-tables-test-allowed-diff.h
diff --git a/Makefile.target b/Makefile.target
index 02bd9d7117..ffa2657269 100644
--- a/Makefile.target
+++ b/Makefile.target
@@ -152,16 +152,13 @@ endif #CONFIG_BSD_USER
 #########################################################
 # System emulator target
 ifdef CONFIG_SOFTMMU
-obj-y += arch_init.o cpus.o gdbstub.o balloon.o ioport.o
-obj-y += qtest.o
+obj-y += softmmu/
+obj-y += gdbstub.o
 obj-y += dump/
 obj-y += hw/
 obj-y += monitor/
 obj-y += qapi/
-obj-y += memory.o
-obj-y += memory_mapping.o
 obj-y += migration/ram.o
-obj-y += softmmu/
 LIBS := $(libs_softmmu) $(LIBS)
 
 # Hardware support
diff --git a/softmmu/Makefile.objs b/softmmu/Makefile.objs
index dd15c24346..a4bd9f2f52 100644
--- a/softmmu/Makefile.objs
+++ b/softmmu/Makefile.objs
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
 softmmu-main-y = softmmu/main.o
+
+obj-y += arch_init.o
+obj-y += cpus.o
+obj-y += balloon.o
+obj-y += ioport.o
+obj-y += memory.o
+obj-y += memory_mapping.o
+
+obj-y += qtest.o
+
 obj-y += vl.o
 vl.o-cflags := $(GPROF_CFLAGS) $(SDL_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/arch_init.c b/softmmu/arch_init.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch_init.c
rename to softmmu/arch_init.c
diff --git a/balloon.c b/softmmu/balloon.c
similarity index 100%
rename from balloon.c
rename to softmmu/balloon.c
diff --git a/cpus.c b/softmmu/cpus.c
similarity index 100%
rename from cpus.c
rename to softmmu/cpus.c
diff --git a/ioport.c b/softmmu/ioport.c
similarity index 100%
rename from ioport.c
rename to softmmu/ioport.c
diff --git a/memory.c b/softmmu/memory.c
similarity index 100%
rename from memory.c
rename to softmmu/memory.c
diff --git a/memory_mapping.c b/softmmu/memory_mapping.c
similarity index 100%
rename from memory_mapping.c
rename to softmmu/memory_mapping.c
diff --git a/qtest.c b/softmmu/qtest.c
similarity index 100%
rename from qtest.c
rename to softmmu/qtest.c